A Convict's Past
by Eva Estel
Summary: Sirius is on the run. The Ministry and the rest of the world believe him to be a murderer, and few know the truth. But with the ever present signs of Lord Voldemort growing, will Sirius be able to convince someone from his past he is innocent? post POA.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or anything to do with J.K Rowling's wonderful work. I'm just a huge fan, is all._

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Prologue

The wind slowly grew warmer, though not so warm as to comfort him much. The sky was still dark, the moon hanging lazily and the stars flickering happily against an endless blanket of darkness, though a slight pinkish haze on the horizon told him dawn was approaching. The trip had been uneventful; there had been no physical obstacles to pass. He had been relevantly safe, or as safe as a wizard on the run could be. Mostly, the trip had been spent cautiously making sure he was not gripping the sleek grey feathers of the mighty hippogriff he was riding to hard, and mulling over the events leading up to his sudden departure from Hogwarts.

It had been a hard night, to say the least. Having to face memories of a past he'd rather not remember, face the man who had subjected him to years of torture in the dismal cells of Azkaban, and face tha fact that for now, he was still a convict, a dangerous man who would supposedly kill and betray without a second glance. The only small hope, the small glimmer of happiness in an otherwise shadow of doom and gloom was being reunited with his godson, and said godson finally knowing the truth; that Sirius Black would rather face an eternity in hell that betray those he loved. Though most of the world still believed him a murderer, Harry knew the truth. And that in itself was a small win for Sirius.

After thoroughly sifting through the events, trying to make sense of the mind boggling incident, Sirius had moved onto more present worries. Where to go from here? What to do now that he was half a free man? He had wondered as to whether to go to Remus', hoping he could lie low there for a while before sorting something a little more permanent. Then he reminded himself Remus had most likely lost his job, or resigned rather, after the werewolf episode. Remus had enough on his plate right now, and housing a convict would only add unnecessary woes to his old friend.

The he briefly thought of Grimmauld Place, but that scenario was quickly abolished. Again, he would rather spend an eternity in hell than return to such a place. Though, if he were honest, hell and Grimmauld Place were rather alike.

With Remus and his old home out of the question, Sirius had pondered over every person he knew whom he could go to for help. There was Andromeda, who would most likely offer him a room, but she didn't know Sirius was innocent, and he didn't much fancy chancing a confrontation with his cousin wand less. She may have been an exiled Black, but that didn't stop his favourite cousin from knowing her way around a duel.

Then there were old friends, friends not many knew of, or rather had forgotten about. It had not always been just he, James, Remus and Peter. Lily, of course, had had a close nit group of girls who had cared for the Marauders dearly. His throat constricted at the thought of one such friend. His chest tightened and his stomach twisted. He had not thought of her in years, afraid that if he did, the Dementors would surely suck the memory right from him. And nothing, nothing in this world would make him want to associate such a kind, thoughtful person with something as foul and evil as a Dementor.

He had an inkling of where she could be. A place they had once spent a happy week frolicking without a care in the world. He wondered if she had remembered. If she had remembered the promise she'd made him. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Tugging lightly on Buckbeak's feathers, Sirius leant slightly to the left, and steered the large Hippogriff south. He leant forward, and whispered something in Buckbeak's ear. Buckbeak seemed to understand, and with a great sweep of his wings, set off towards their desired destination, unknowing if the conflict going on within his riders soul.

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A/N: Well, what do you think? Love it, hate it? Let me know, I'd really appreciate it. This originally was going to be a Marauder's Era story, but after much deliberation, I decided to move it forward. Well, enjoy, and please leave a review :)

_Eva ~_

_p.s: I know it's a little short, but that is just because it's the prologue. Future chapters are much longer than this, I can assure you :)_


	2. Twelve Years Remembered

_Disclaimer: I don't own HP, or anything to do with HP. I own OC's, and the plot, but nothing more._

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Chapter One

_**Twelve Years Remembered**_

_31__st__ October, 1981_

He'd been gone too long. Far too long. A young woman, with long, chestnut brown hair that fell in soft curls to the middle of her back worriedly chewed her nails, every so often flicking her hazel eyes towards the window. Though pale skinned already, she looked positively gaunt with worry, the usual pinkish tinge of colour present in her cheeks replaced by solid white. She slowly closed her eyes, and rose from her vigil in a squashy armchair, and began pacing the small, cosy looking living room. Wrapping her arms around herself as if warding off a nonexistent chill, Hayley mumbled incoherently, trying desperately to find reason behind the disappearance of her fiancé.

It had started off as a perfectly normal Halloween evening. They had received several trick or treater's knocking on their door, Hayley having had to refrain her mischievous fiancé from pulling a few tricks of his own. Being only two years younger than him, Sirius Black, Hayley remembered the many pranks pulled by the infamous Marauders. She wondered if perhaps he missed the mischief and mayhem, and the spirit of a Muggle Halloween had finally caught up with him.

Then the call had come. Frank Longbottom had come barrelling into their living room, saying something about an attack. Before Hayley had had a chance to ask who it was, Sirius had briefly kissed her goodbye and disappeared in a crack. That was when she had grown worried.

It was no secret to Hayley that Lord Voldemort was after the Potters. Lily had confided in Hayley the moment she had been informed that she, her husband and infant son were targets. Of course, they were all targets, but the Potters were more so, a thought more frightening than any Hayley could have imagined. But then again, Hayley had only left Hogwarts the previous year, and had had no idea just how serious things were. Sirius, whom she had dated since she was just sixteen, he in his seventh year and she in her fifth, had told her of the devastating events of the outside world, though none of his letters had prepared her for what she had come up against.

And now, she merely waited, slightly annoyed that Sirius had told her to remain at the house. Taking a glance at the clock hanging on the living room wall, Hayley's nerves doubled. He'd been gone for hours, and still no word. She decided it was time to do something, or at least get out of a home that was slowly turning into a prison. Grabbing a cloak from the coat rack, she had just readied herself to leave when she heard someone stumble through the door.

Not daring to even breathe, Hayley reached for her wand, slowly raising it so it pointed towards the living room door. Bracing herself for the worst, she kept her eyes pinned to the door, stepping back a little as it creaked open. A small gasp escaped her as she saw a pale, broken looking Sirius standing in the doorway, his eyes downcast, small tears rolling down his cheeks. Her heart stopped. What on Earth had happened? And more importantly, to who?

"Sirius?" she reached forth tentatively, gently placing her arm on his shoulder. He stumbled forward, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her to him. She tried to ignore the pain, stroking his head and whispering soothing words in his ear.

Once he had regained what little composure he seemed to have left, he pulled back, and took her face in his hands.

"Frank has sent for Remus and Viv...they...they'll keep you safe".

His voice was void of any emotion. Dead and monotone, but the dangerous spark in his eye told her not to protest. Perhaps Remus would be able to explain, Sirius seemed in no fit state to do it himself. She didn't even want to think about what could have happened to make him like this. Then it hit her.

She stumbled back, tears springing to her eyes, her hand clasped to her mouth. Sirius merely let a few more tears fall. He pulled her back to him, removing her hand and crushing his lips against hers. She kissed him back, more out of habit than out of actual want. Her stomach churned, her chest tightening, hot tears falling down alabaster cheeks.

"Not...not James...Lily," her eyes widened, "God...not Harry".

Sirius said nothing. He continued to look straight into her eyes, the intensity of the stare causing her to recoil slightly. He grabbed her arm, his calloused finger biting into her skin.

"You remember what I told," he said firmly, a slight tone of desperation in his voice, "If anything happens, you go...they...they'll still be out there. You need to go".

Hayley barely registered the fierce kiss he gave her. She only half noticed him disappearing with a crack. She merely continued to stare at the doorway, until her legs finally gave way, and she collapsed.

~*~

Something cold was dabbing at her forehead. A trickle of liquid slid down her cheek, awaking her suddenly. Hayley winced as she opened her eyes, only to be met by bright lights and hazy figures. The ebony black hair and ice blue eyes she managed to see after a moment's focus put her slightly at ease.

"Viv?" she asked groggily. Seeing her friend more clearly now, she saw Viv nod. Someone stirred in the corner of the room, hurrying over to what Hayley registered to be her own squashy sofa.

Hayley tried to sit up, but felt a gentle hand push her back down. She turned her head sideways, and saw that it was Remus who had joined them.

"Remus...thank God you're here," her voice was growing stronger now, and she attempted to sit up again, "What's going on? Sirius –"

"What do you remember," Viv cut across, holding up a hand to silence her young friend. Hayley paused, her mind still reeling from the previous night's events. Then it hit her.

"Oh...oh God...oh...no, please...don't tell me..."

The tears in Viv's eyes confirmed her fears. Something had happened to Lily, James and Harry.

"I know," croaked Viv, pulling Hayley into a close embrace, "I know".

They spent what seemed like hours crying, great sobs wracking their bodies. Soon, Remus joined the throng, and the three gave in to their sorrow and grief.

As Hayley pulled away, wiping her eyes, she turned to Remus, who looked as though he had been through a hundred full moons in one go.

"Sirius...I knew by the look on his face...where is he?" she glanced around the room, as if expecting him to somehow be lurking in a shadowy corner. She saw a look of sheer hatred flicker in Remus' eyes, and he looked away.

"Do not mention that name to me," he muttered darkly, running a hand through his hair. Hayley blanched, and shot a questioning look at Viv. Viv, however, shared the same look.

"What...what's going on?"

Neither seemed to want to speak, their faces pale and eyes hardened. Finally, it was Viv who broke the silence.

"He...he betrayed them. Hayles...he sold them out to Voldemort".

To this day, Hayley Grace Beaufort remembered only one thing after being told the life destroying news that her fiancé had betrayed them all. And that was darkness, as the sheer shock and devastation became too much, and she slipped into unconsciousness once more.

~*~

_7__th__ June, 1994_

Twelve years ago, almost thirteen to be correct, and not a day had passed when Hayley had not thought of that day, the day her entire world crumbled around her. She had tried, Lord knew she had tried everything to just move on, but such a feat was impossible for even the strongest of people, and Hayley was certainly not the strongest.

She didn't remember much immediately after the defeat of Voldemort. She vaguely remembered awaking from her unconscious state, and hearing the entire story from Viv and Remus. She sort of recalled protesting that it couldn't be true, that Sirius would never do such a thing, and that Remus, Viv, and the entire wizarding population had been confounded. She did remember punching Viv for suggesting such a thing (obviously something like that was not easily forgotten). Then, she did remember crying, crying for what seemed like years, when really it had only been days.

She recalled the anger she felt when she found out that little Harry had been sent to live with Muggles, Petunia bloody Dursley to be precise. But then again, they were the only family he had left, as a god mother was never named, and his god father, well, he wasn't capable of looking after anyone.

In the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat and the deaths of Lily and James, danger had still lurked around every corner. Only a week after Halloween, poor Frank and Alice Longbottom had been tortured to the point of insanity by Death Eaters searching for an answer to the disappearance of their leader. And it was after that devastating attack, Hayley had remembered her promise.

She had had to leave, and though it pained her to do so, she knew it was best. And so, Hayley left England with Viv and her husband Sean, who had lived in France for quite some time since an attack on both Vivian and Sean's families, and relocated to a small home near Bordeaux, close to the beautiful beaches of south western France. Vivian and Sean themselves, lived in Bordeaux, however Hayley insisted upon living in the small cottage near the sea, one of the only reminders she had left of a happier time. Sure, she had almost cleaned out her entire bank account at Gringotts to buy her home, but it was worth it. She had found peace here, a harmony she had not felt in years.

After securing to finish her training at the French magical hospital St. Rémi's, Hayley settled into a life of slight isolation, visiting only Viv, Sean and their twin sons Ben and Lance. She had friends, well, more like work colleagues, but Hayley was content to be just left alone, needing only peace to pass the time.

The sun was almost setting over the coast, her cottage placed as a perfect vantage point for such a spectacular sight. The sky, streaked with pinks and purples and gold's seemed to glitter, the sea below mirroring a darker version of the beautiful colours. As Hayley sat on her patio, sipping at a glass of wine, she allowed herself to truly relax, and forget all about her past, if only for a moment.

In the twelve years spent in her new home, Hayley had not changed drastically. Her hair was still a rich brown colour, her face wasn't as wrinkled as some her age; thankfully she was ageing gracefully. For a woman of thirty two, many had mistaken her for twenty five; she believed it was the sea air and comforting surroundings that had kept her that way. Her ability to only have to deal with a traumatic past only once a day, and then push the thoughts aside as though they never existed.

Though the sparkle in her eyes she had once been famed for had gone, along with a true smile. These days, she still had a genuine smile, though it was nothing compared to the one she wore as a teen. Such things weren't as easy to recover.

Just as she felt her eyelids droop, she was awoken suddenly by a loud screech. Cursing the day she had taken the blasted owl in after finding the tiny thing stuck at the bottom of her garden with a broken wing, Hayley pulled herself away from the comfort of her patio chair, and wandered back into the cottage.

She rolled her eyes as she approached the cage holding the owl. Well, she reckoned it was more of a moving ball of fluff than an actual owl, and boy did it move. The thing never shut up! Peering into its cage, she noticed his (or her) food tray was empty. She hadn't bothered to name it; she had no need for pets after all. As she entered her kitchen and routed around for something to feed the hyperactive little bird she idly wondered if it was well enough to be set free, and praying silently that it would actually leave once given freedom.

Hayley jumped for a second time that night as a crack sounded in her living room. Having heard the very same crack many a time, she smiled to herself, and waited until Viv made her way into the kitchen.

"I think I may have killed your owl," the dark haired woman smiled sheepishly; "The poor thing got a right shock".

Hayley shook her head with a chuckle, "I doubt it," another screech pierced the air, "No such luck".

Viv shot a questioning look at Hayley, and followed her back into the small room just before the patio.

"I take it you're not an owl person," Viv smirked.

Hayley shook her head, "No, no, I love owls," she jerked her thumb towards the tiny owl and grimaced, "Just not that one".

Viv laughed, and shook her head, "And you saved its life. It should be ashamed!"

Hayley swatted at her ebony haired friend, then pushed her into the living room.

"Why are you bothering me, I was comfy," she pointed her wand at the coffee table in the living room, conjuring two china cups and a pot of tea, a small jug of milk and a smaller pot of sugar.

"Hello to you too," Viv reached forward and busied herself making tea. Hayley leant back against the cushions on her armchair, sighing as she did so.

"Long day?" Viv commented, handing Hayley a cup of tea. Hayley took it gratefully, and nodded.

"Summer holidays are approaching, and of course the seventh and fifth years of Beauxbatons have decided to celebrate the end of exams by injuring each other. Of course, Madame Lalonde was completely overwhelmed and shipped half of her patients over to us".

Viv chuckled heartily, "And to think, Pomfrey handled all of that _plus_ Marauders," her laughter died a little at the look on Hayley's face. Viv chewed her lip, searching for a change of topic.

"Anyway...oh forget it, you know why I'm here," she pulled her hand bag open and handed Hayley a battered looking copy of what seemed to be the Daily Prophet.

Haley's breath caught in her throat, tears welling in her eyes. Covering the front page was a large picture of one Sirius Black, or rather, the Sirius Black she had come to know in the past year. From what the article said, it appeared that he had once again evaded capture, and had fled certain doom at the hands of the Dementors. A shiver ran through her as she thought of foul creatures, and she felt a stab of guilt realising that she felt a sense of relief that he had escaped, even after what he had done.

"I see," was all she could say. She folded up the newspaper and tossed it onto the coffee table, determinedly avoiding Viv's eyes.

The pair sat in silence for a moment, occasionally sipping at their tea or shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Finally, Viv broke the silence.

"Well, I came over...I was wondering...do you want to come and stay at our place for a while, I really think it would be safer...heaven's knows what he would do if he came here," Viv visibly shivered, and set down her tea, "We'll pack a few things and apparate over".

"No".

Viv frowned, "Why?" she asked.

Hayley merely shook her head, "He won't drive me out of my home. I won't let him. He already drove me out of my country. Besides, he won't come, not after what he did".

Her voice was set with determination, and Viv did not protest. She felt unease at her friend's sudden change of mood, but accepted it. It was just the way things were.

"Then I'll stay, just until things blow over," suggested Viv. Hayley just continued to shake her head.

"Viv, you have a family. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself," Hayley argued firmly. She had spent the better part of twelve years alone; she didn't need people looking after her.

Viv looked on in worry, "Are you sure? Sean won't mind, the kid's are still at school. Really, it's no trouble at all".

Hayley held up her hand to stop her, "Viv, I'm fine," she shot her friend a sympathetic look, "Really. I appreciate the concern, but he won't come here. He won't even know I'm here anyway".

Viv opened her mouth to protest once more, but realised it was futile. She nodded, sighing as she did so.

"Very well. I'd best be off. But if anything happens, apparate to my place at once, alright?"

Hayley nodded with a wry smile, "I know the procedure Viv, now get home. A couple of weeks and you and Sean won't have this peace".

Viv chuckled, shaking her short hair out of her eyes.

"Alright, I'm going," she leant forward, hugging Hayley tightly, and stood up.

"Remember, anything –"

"And I'll be over in a flash," Hayley grinned, and waved as Viv turned on the spot and disappeared. Suddenly, she felt just as alone as she had that night twelve years ago, that sense of foreboding resurfacing once more.

~*~

The nights were always warm where Hayley lived, so warm in fact that she rarely needed a blanket. Tonight, however, a chill had set in, unexplainable and daunting. Having only thin blankets, Hayley resigned to a cold night, cocooned in several sheets. Not that she noticed, for her dreams sent a much more bitter cold through her body.

"_He is in Azkaban now. They sent him without a trial"._

_Hayley shakily raised her gaze to meet the piercing blue eyes surveying her intently. She merely nodded, unable to form words._

"_I know this must be hard for you, I can only imagine the torture –"_

"_Can you?"_

_Hayley stood from her seat, her hazel eyes challenging his azure orbs, "You have no idea...it...it was your idea! You did this to them...YOU KILLED THEM!"_

_Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks, her body shaking and her breathing uneven. She felt the comforting hand of Remus gently touch her shoulder, though it did nothing to chase away the grief. Dumbledore continued to watch her, his expression one of upmost pity. And she hated it._

"_I will not deny we made an error in our judgement. I can assure you I offered to be a secret keeper. But Sirius was a clever man, he deceived us all, even James"._

"_I know that," hissed Hayley, a stab of pain almost shattering her heart, "I just want to know why," her eyes raised to meet his again, "Why did he do it? He never had a reason...he loved us all"._

_Dumbledore, for the first time, seemed unable to answer the question. The wisest man she had ever known was rendered just a dumbfounded as the rest of them._

"_I'm afraid I do not know. The human mind is a complex thing, understanding what drives those to do what they do is something I very much doubt anyone will ever be able to fully comprehend"._

_Basically, he was as clueless as they were. The thought almost made Hayley laugh; almost._

"_What now?" she asked shakily, her voice cracking with emotion. Again, she was met with silence, then..._

"_We carry on. We rebuild, and pray the same mistakes are not repeated"._

Trapped in a memory, Hayley was oblivious the world outside. She could not hear the gentle trotting of a beast on her patio, the heavy breathing of a tired man. She did not hear the mutter of a spell, or the creaking of a door. She slept on, occasionally groaning or turning restlessly.

Sirius pushed his scraggy black hair out of his eyes. As he entered the small cottage he had once spent a wonderful week in, a fresh wave of pain assaulted his heart. He could almost hear her laughter, smell the peach shampoo she used, taste the cinnamon of her sweet breath. It was both a blessing and torture to be so close to her, and yet so unbelievably far. He jumped slightly as he heard a screech. Glancing over, he saw what could only be described as a ball of fluff hooting excitedly and flitting around a large cage. He quirked an eyebrow, then shook his head. The Hayley he remembered would probably have squashed something so annoying.

He slowly pushed open the bedroom door, a bedroom they had once shared together during a better time. His eyes slowly scanned the room, and there she was. His inhaled sharply. To his biased eye, she had not changed at all. To him, her beauty was unmatched, her alabaster skin shining delicately, her dark hair fanned out around her. In sleep, she looked so peaceful and yet so tormented, it almost hurt to look at her.

The gentle rise and fall of her chest assured Sirius she was asleep, though fleetingly he wished she were awake. Perhaps he should wake her; perhaps she would forgive him.

Deciding against it, he moved closer to get a better look, unaware of the large book in his path. He tripped, falling onto the bottom of the bed and grabbing Hayley's legs in an effort to stop himself from falling.

"Argh!"

Hayley shot upright, squinting in the darkness. She could just make out a figure at the end of her bed, her heart rate speeding up as she spied it. She quickly reached for her wand, just as the lights in the room came on.

Her heart stopped.

Staring back at her were a pair of fathomless grey eyes, twinkling slightly and staring unabashedly. For a moment, they merely stared, all past events forgotten, emotions long since buried resurfacing. Her mouth almost curved into a smile. She almost reached out to him, ready to reignite the passion long forgotten.

And then she remembered.

She jumped out of her bed, her wand pointed directly at Sirius. He scrambled back, holding his hands up.

"Hayley, wait –"

"_Stupefy!"_

Sirius dove just in time for the spell to miss him. He rolled behind the bed, chancing a look over the top. Another jet of red light coming his way. He swore loudly, silently cursing himself for not at least stealing a wand.

"Hayley please, listen to me".

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed. He chanced another look, and saw she was crying, still pointing her wand at him, but crying. His heart split in two.

"Hayley," he protested weakly, though knowing it would be to no avail. She believed them. She believed he was a murderer.

"Hayley...if you ever loved me, you'll put down that wand and let me explain".

Hayley let out a sob as she heard the words, her entire body shaking. She couldn't explain what made her lower her wand; surely she was signing her own death warrant. But she did, nevertheless, she did.

After peering over the top of the bed for a third time, Sirius reckoned it safe to show himself. He tentatively rose from his hiding place, his hands still held out in front of him. She wasn't looking at him, her eyes were downcast, her body shaking and her face paler than a winter's day. And it was all because of him.

"Hayley...I..."

"Get out," she whispered. Sirius stopped moving, his grey eyes fixated on her. She didn't look up; she merely continued to stare at the floor.

"Hayley –"

"I knew you'd come...stupidly, I almost wanted you to," she finally raised her eyes to meet is, "To kill you. But I can't...Lord knows why, but I can't. Just get out. Stay away from me," she buried her head in her hands, sobbing once more. She felt so pathetic, so weak. She wasn't even able to avenge her friend's deaths.

Sirius bit back his own tears, closing his eyes and his shoulders sagging. What was he expecting? To be welcomed back with open arms? He was an idiot to think it possible.

He took one last glance at Hayley, who was still crying softly, and wordlessly left.

~*~

Hayley wasn't sure how long she cried for that night. She vaguely remembered the sun rising as she wiped the last of the tears away. She felt drained, and so tired. She had known he would come; it was he after all who had suggested this haven. She wasn't angry, she wasn't scared; she was just so very tired. The last twelve years of pain had come back all in one night, and Hayley was at a loss to explain how she even made it through the night.

She padded out of her bedroom, the cottage unusually quiet. She frowned, wandering towards the patio; she spotted an empty owl cage and a torn piece of parchment. She shakily picked up the small note and turned it over.

_Hayles,_

_I needed an owl, sorry to steal it, but I needed to send something to an old friend. I doubt you'll miss it; you never were fond of things that were loud and exuberant. Listen, I know what you think of me, and I know that will probably never change. But please, contact Remus, he will explain everything._

_If you need to contact me at all, I'm going to James and Lily's spot, you know where I mean. I'm so very sorry Hayley, for everything that ever went wrong. Know that I love, just as much as I always did._

_Forever yours, S.B_

A dry sob escaped from her throat. Hayley dropped the note and fell back into a small armchair near the cage. She buried her head in her hands, a fresh wave of tears enveloping her, the small ring hanging around her neck burning into her skin.

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A/N: Well, what do you think? Any good? Thank you to all those who read and reviewed the last chapter, I'm glad purplefeather21 is intrigued :) hope you enjoy the next chapter, and leave a review if you're feeling kind XD

_Eva ~_


	3. Old Friends and New Beginnings

_Disclaimer: I don't own HP, or Sirius Black, or Remus Lupin, or any canon characters you may come across in this story. I own Hayley, and the cottage near Bordeaux (which I someday hope to be a reality, I love France), and that's about it._

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Chapter Two

 _**Old Friends and New Beginnings**_

_June 10__th__, 1994_

_Remus,_

_It finally happened, what I wrote to you about last year, when I first found he had escaped. He visited a few nights ago. It was brief, but enough to completely destroy me, as I always said it would. I'm not even sure what happened, it felt more like a dream than a reality. He looked so different...yet the same. I let him go. Please don't hate me for doing so, but I couldn't bring myself to do what I promised all those years ago I would if he ever showed up. I guess he had that affect on all of us, able to worm his way out of trouble with a mere glance._

_He told me to contact you for the truth. I'm not sure if he was taunting me, or trying to hurt you, but I have to know what on Earth is going on here, and what truth he is speaking of. Besides, it's been months since we last saw each other, and I would very much like a visit Mr Lupin, plus, I could really use a friend right now._

_I'm not sure what to make of any of this at the moment; I don't think any of this has fully hit me yet. Hopefully you can help. Take care Remus, and reply back as soon as you can._

_All my love, Hayley._

Remus read the letter with a small smile. Of course, she would be the first person Sirius would go to. Ill advised, to say the least, but Sirius had never been one to listen to anyone but himself.

"Amazing, he still manages to rope me in," he chuckled slightly. Though this was indeed a serious matter, once everything was explained, he was sure things would be able to move forward. Besides, a visit to Hayley couldn't hurt; it wasn't as if he had anything else to do, and living in a tiny bedsit he could barely afford to keep anyway wasn't the best way to spend his days. He decided the sooner the better, and without writing a reply, he grabbed a patchy, worn cloak and apparated with a small pop.

~*~

By the time Hayley finished work that evening, she was fully exhausted. The weight of what had happened a few days ago, coupled with an ever expanding work load were sure to drive anyone insane. Perhaps she needed a holiday.

Throwing her canary yellow cloak down as soon as she entered her home, she hurried into her living room, intent on sinking into her squashy sofa and giving herself some peace. She did not, however, expect Remus Lupin to be sitting patiently in an armchair, his nose buried in a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Remus!"

The tired looking man glanced up from his paper, and smiled warmly at Hayley, setting the paper down and holding his arms out. Hayley crossed the room quickly and threw herself into his embrace. He could tell she was truly relieved to see him.

"I thought sooner rather than later would be best," he explained, releasing his old friend. Hayley nodded vehemently, conjuring some tea and sandwiches. Poor Remus looked as though he hadn't had a bite to eat in days.

"Eat, you look terrible".

Remus chuckled, and gratefully took a sandwich, "Always friendly, your greetings".

Hayley rolled her eyes and took a seat next to her friend, "I've had an eventful past couple of days, forgive me if I'm a little on edge".

She swallowed hard, ignoring the stinging in her eyes. She wouldn't cry, that could come later, when she was alone. She needed to rid herself of confusion first.

"Don't beat around the bush Remus, tell me what is going on," she started firmly. Her normally warm hazel eyes had hardened, and Remus knew the turmoil she must have gone through not only overnight, but ever since Sirius escaped. Remus swallowed the bite of sandwich he'd taken, and set it down. Best to just tell the truth, no need to sugar coat it.

"It wasn't Sirius".

Hayley waited expectantly for the rest of that sentence, and when she was sure it wasn't coming, allowed her brow s to knit together in confusion.

"I saw him with my own eyes Remus, I know who it was".

Remus blinked in confusion, then began to shake his head as he realised the silly mistake.

"No, no that's not what I mean. Yes, it was Sirius a few nights ago; I should have known you would be the first person he would go to after he found Peter".

Hayley's jaw dropped.

"Pe...Peter?" she gazed incredulously at Remus, "Peter who?"

Remus shook his head grimly, "Peter Pettigrew".

Hayley's tea cup fell to the ground with a clatter, warm brown liquid soaking the green carpet beneath her feet.

"That's not possible," she breathed, "Peter's dead...Remus, you're making no sense".

Remus smiled wryly, "Believe me, there was a lot that didn't make sense to me either, until I heard the truth," he paused, running a hand over his stubbly chin, "Let me explain, please don't interrupt me. I'll answer your questions once I've finished".

Hayley nod mutely, her mind reeling. How on Earth did Peter affect Sirius coming to her a few nights ago?

Remus lowered his hand, and turned to directly face Hayley. He took her hand in his, and smiled sadly.

"Sirius didn't betray Lily and James, it was Peter".

Hayley gasped, and opened her mouth to protest, but Remus held his hand up.

"They switched," he continued, "At the last minute. Sirius knew Voldemort would come after him once he found out Lily and James were using a secret keeper, he thought it too obvious. He never told anyone, not me, Dumbledore, not even you. He just switched, thinking Peter would be a less obvious choice".

"Of course he would," whispered Hayley, her eyes shining, "Sirius was always belittling Peter, thought him talentless," she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes, "How can you be sure, if Sirius told you this, how can you be sure he isn't deceiving us again?"

Remus nodded slowly, "I thought that too, until I saw Peter on the map...he's alive, Hayley, we captured him last night".

Hayley stared. She seemed to have frozen in that position. Her mouth hanging open slackly, her hands lying limply in her lap. She just stared, unable to process the information. She had always been open minded about things, but this? This was simply too farfetched to be true. Then, just as she was about to ask how Peter could have hidden all these years, she remembered.

"Wormtail," she breathed, bringing her hand to her mouth again. Remus nodded solemnly.

"He hid in his rat form all of these years, living as a pet to none other than Ron Weasley, Harry's friend".

Tears sprang to Hayley's eyes, the mention of Harry and the new information overwhelming.

"But how? There were witnesses who swore blind Peter was blasted apart. They heard Peter accuse Sirius, they saw Sirius laugh...this can't be true," she began to shake her head, as if believing it wasn't true would make it so. Yet the part of her heart she had tried to block out for so many years was screaming at her to believe Remus, to believe that they had indeed been deceived on so many more levels than they first thought.

"I know it is hard to understand, I myself had trouble coming to terms with it. But after seeing Peter on the map, and seeing him alive a few nights ago, there is no doubt left in my mind that Peter Pettigrew was the one to betray us, and Sirius is innocent".

Remus glanced once more at Hayley, his heart breaking. She looked lost, scared – terrified, even. This clearly was too much to handle. He was surprised she hadn't hexed him already.

After what seemed like hours of silence, Hayley finally spoke, removing her hand from her mouth and fighting back the tears threatening to envelop her.

"So...they switched...and Peter...Peter sold them out?"

Remus nodded, "Correct. Apparently Peter wasn't as pathetic as Sirius once thought. He'd been working for Voldemort for years. Do you remember? When we suspected a traitor within the order?" he asked quietly.

Hayley gasped again, and nodded.

"Oh God Remus...he...we thought...everything was confusing...they believed..."

"I know," Remus said softly, "I know you all thought it to be me. And I can't say, I don't blame you. It was a terrible time for me. I'd lost all hope of living a normal life, had I been in your position, I probably would have suspected me too".

Hayley choked back sob, "I am so sorry...truly...I –"

Remus held up his hand, "You apologised enough years ago Hayley. I understand. But do _you_ understand now? Do you see that we were deceived by Peter, and not by Sirius?"

Hayley said nothing, continuing to just stare, wide eyed and disbelieving. How could this be true, and yet, how could it not be true. It all made sense. After all, they had all been at a loss as to why Sirius would do such a thing to James and Lily, why he would betray them like that. It made perfect sense, he didn't do it...it was Peter.

"I...he...innocent," she began to ramble, shaking her head and mumbling incoherently. Remus watched her with a concerned look upon his face. He reached over, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

"I know this will take some getting used to, but for now believe me when I tell you I would never intentionally lie to you. I'm telling the truth. Sirius is innocent...he never betrayed us at all".

Hayley looked up, and nodded, her tears finally spilling over. She fell forward, Remus catching her just before she hit the ground, and began to cry hysterically. Great, shaking sobs wracked her petite frame, her entire body shaking uncontrollably. Remus held her tight, rubbing small circle on her back and whispering words of comfort. It was all he could do right now. Until she calmed down, and could take in the new information, all he could do was comfort her best he could.

~*~

Remus awoke rather early the next morning, surprised to find the usual aches and pains he felt diminished somewhat. He wondered if there really was something in the air here at Hayley's beautiful French home, something that healed and preserved. Glancing over at his bedside table, he spotted that it was just after six, and after tossing and turning for five more minutes, decided to get up and see how Hayley was doing.

After calming her down, Remus had explained to Hayley all that had happened that night. How Sirius had taken Ron and 'Scabbers' into the Whomping Willow. How Remus had seen both Peter and Sirius on the map. How he had returned to the Shrieking Shack, only to find his old friend pointing his wand at Harry, Ron and Hermione.

He told her about the argument, then the explanation, and then finally, the moment he discovered the truth. He continued on about Snape interrupting, about Peter getting away, about forgetting to take his Wolfsbane potion.

After spending what was probably hours regaling Hayley with the entire story of that night, they had finally retreated up to bed, promising to sort everything out in the morning. Remus had hastily sent Professor Dumbledore a note explaining where he was and how long he would be staying, to which the Professor had almost immediately replied to take as long as they needed.

After a rather restless night's sleep, Remus wandered into the kitchen, spotting Hayley slouched over a steaming mug of tea, her eyes red and puffy, her hair limp and dishevelled and her skin as pale as ever. He sighed lightly, and took a seat next to her.

"Good morning," he said as cheerfully as he could muster. Hayley glanced up and forced a smile, pulling out her wand and conjuring some tea for her friend. Remus took the mug gratefully, and sipped it for a moment, before starting again.

"How are you feeling?"

Hayley shrugged, pushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"As good as can be expected. You?"

Remus smiled sadly, "I must say this French seaside is doing wonders for my health. I feel better than I have in days".

Hayley chuckled slightly, "I swear it's something in the air...it seems to ease the pain..." she trailed off, gazing at her cup of tea. Remus chewed his lip, then stood up.

"I'll make us some breakfast, then we can discuss where we go from here".

Hayley barely nodded, and Remus set about making scrambled eggs. After eating his own, and ensuring Hayley ate at least half, the two retreated to the living room.

"Now...what do you want to do?"

Hayley shrugged half heartedly, "I truly have no idea. This...this changes _everything_".

Remus nodded in agreement, "Might I suggest something?"

Hayley nodded, "Go ahead".

"Come back to England. You need to be around your friends. Dumbledore ha confided in me he fears Voldemort will rise once again, and soon. I have no doubt a call to arms will be made within a year".

Hayley exhaled slowly, "Do you think he will reprise the Order?"

"Not yet," replied Remus, "But soon. We will need all the help we can get. You were a valuable member the first time around, no doubt your skills will be needed again".

Hayley nodded mutely, unable to find words. It was all happening so fast, and yet, she understood completely.

"I can't just leave like that," she ran a shaky hand through her hair; "This is my home. I have a job here, a life here...I never intended to return to England".

Remus nodded sadly, "I thought as much, though I can't say I'm not disappointed. It'd be nice to have a familiar face around".

Hayley offered a small smile. If she were perfectly honest, the prospect of returning to her home country was indeed tempting. She missed her old acquaintances, the familiar sights and sounds of England. She missed it all dearly, and though she had settled with the fact that she would never return, the opportunity had now opened, and she wasn't sure if she could completely refuse.

"That's not to say I couldn't come back in the future," she started slowly, watching Remus carefully. Remus glanced back at her, a genuine smile crossing his face.

"I knew the temptation would be too much. You know that if you do return, you don't _have_ to see him, as much as I'd like you to," he added as an afterthought; however Hayley held her hand up in protest.

"I know I'll have to face him someday, just...not right now. There are things that need to be sorted, people I need to see. Viv, for instance. She needs to be filled in," she said with a wry smile, "Bit I doubt I will be returning in the near future...too much has happened in such a short space of time for me to fully adjust".

Remus sighed, but smiled nonetheless. He knew, of course, this would be her reaction. She was a thinker; it was what she did best. It would take time, as would most things in their world right now.

"Then I will wait. Unfortunately, I myself must return to England. Like you said, there are things to be sorted and set, first and foremost, I need to find a job".

Hayley clapped a hand to her forehead, "Oh, that's right. I'm so sorry Remus, I forgot," a look of guilt crept into her eyes, "Do you know where you'll go from here?"

Remus shook his head wearily, that ever present tired look creeping back into his eyes.

"I'll manage, even if it means taking a Muggle job. I still need a roof over my head and food in my stomach".

Hayley eyed her friend sadly. It truly was a devastating injustice that such a kind person lived such a terrible life. Then, a thought hit her, and she began to grin.

"Well, I don't know about the food part, but I can certainly sort out a home for you".

~*~

They had appeared outside a small stone home, with a quaint little garden of over grown flower beds and a stone path dotted with weeds. Hayley smiled fondly at the house, not having seen it in over twelve years. Bittersweet memories barrelled into her mind, but she managed to restrain them as she pulled out a key and slipped it into the lock. Remus followed her warily, still unsure as to what she meant by this.

It looked just as it had been all of those years ago. The carpets were still thick and woolly, the walls still covered in flowery wallpaper her mother adored. The furniture still had the rickety look to it, as if touching one of the spindly tables in the hall would cause it to collapse. Her father had been quite the collector of antique furniture; he said it added character to a home. Family photo graphs still hung in dusty frames, pictures of Hayley as a child, pictures of her parents, and (with a stab of sadness) pictures of deceased her sister.

Shaking her head slightly, Hayley led Remus into the small kitchen, then turned to face him.

"Well, what do you think?"

Remus took one small glance around, and grinned, "Very 'homey'".

Hayley rolled her eyes and set her beds down, "There's plenty of room for you. There's three bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom if you want the privacy. The living room is through that door, the back garden through that one, and there's a study back down the hall. You're quite secluded, my father preferred peace and quiet".

She turned back to face Remus, who was watching her with a strange expression.

"What do you mean 'plenty of room for me?"

Hayley frowned, "It's too small? I know you grew up in quite a large home, but I thought –"

"No," Remus cut her off, "You mean for me to stay here? I couldn't possibly afford to keep this place".

Hayley waved a non committal hand, "Don't be silly. It's free of charge. The house was left to me, and my inheritance more than covers the upkeep. All you need to supply is food and your clothing, I'm afraid I can't pay for that, as much as I would love too, I simply don't have the money".

Remus' jaw had now dropped. It had been a long time since such kindness had been paid to him.

"Hayles," he said rather hoarsely, "I can't accept this...as wonderful as the gesture is, I can't".

"But why?" Hayley frowned once again, "I don't live here, but I don't have the heart to sell this place. Why leave it standing empty when it could be put to good use? A house is meant to be made a home, please Remus, let me do this. You've helped me tremendously over the years, this is my repayment," the tone in her voice was gentle, but firm, and Remus knew there would be no worthy protest he could come up with. His shoulders sagged in defeat, and he removed his cloak.

"If you're sure, this won't be a permanent solution, I have a fair idea no one will be able to truly settle over the next few years".

"You take as long as you need Remus Lupin. Besides, when I do move back to England, I'll need somewhere to stay too," her eyes sparkled and she smirked slightly. Remus attempted a grin, but found he was too moved to even give such a response. Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head and mumbling his thanks incoherently. Hayley merely smiled, glad that she could at least help, if only a little.

After assuring she would keep in touch, Hayley apparated back to her cottage in France. The house felt a lot emptier since Remus had visited, and strangely colder. It was then, that she decided fully that returning to England was a definite decision, and deep down, she couldn't wait to get back.

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A/N: And there's chapter two :) Hope it's to everyones liking, I know I enjoyed writing it. Real life is catching up on me, so I doubt the updates will be as frequent as they have been, but they won't be too long, I can assure you. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the las chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed it :) Enjoy, and review! it makes my day :)

 _Eva ~_

_p.s: It's my birthday tomorrow (18 FTW!) so make a girl happy and give the gift of a review :D (urgh, I sound so cheesy)_

_happy fan ficcing :)_


	4. And So It Begins

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the HP universe...I'm just a slightly obsessed fan...or maybe I'm just intrigued ;)_

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Chapter Three

_**And So It Begins**_

_June 25__th__, 1995_

_Evening_

"Lie low at Lupin's eh? Such a wonderful thing that Lupin's happens to be bloody miles away!"

A tall, gaunt looking man with a mass of shaggy black hair and clothed in tattered robes hopped down from the mighty grey Hippogriff he had previously ridden half way across the country and wrinkled his nose. It had only taken him little over a day to reach Lupin's, yet a day spent riding a Hippogriff wasn't as comfortable as one may think, no matter how many times he had used the Hippogriff as a form of transport. The Hippogriff pawed the ground, unsure of its surroundings, and tossed its large head back. The gaunt man shot a reassuring look towards the beast, and patted its beak gently.

"Don't wander off; I'm sure you'll find something to amuse yourself with right here".

The Hippogriff tilted its head in response, then trotted off towards a patch of unkempt grass, and lay down. The dark haired man watched for a moment, then turned towards the small stone cottage he had arrived at.

It hadn't changed much. The garden was much more over grown and tendrils of ivy now covered one side completely, but in essence, the house was very much the same as he remembered from the many Sunday lunches he had partook in there. That small memory alone was difficult enough to bear, and so, pushing it aside, he followed the little stone path up to the doorway and knocked lightly on the blue front door.

He could hear muffled footsteps, what sounded like grumbling and the flick of a light switch. The dark haired man smirked, and tapped his foot impatiently.

"Who is it?" came a quiet voice.

"Father Christmas," sneered the thin man, "Who do you think? It's Sirius, let me in will you!"

There was a pause.

"In what year did I tell you my greatest secret?"

Sirius frowned.

"You didn't. We put two and two together and came up with four in second year. What on Earth Moony, I'm bloody tired! Let me in!"

There was a small chuckle, and the scrape of locks unlocking. The door creaked open, revealing a pale, light haired man with warm brown eyes. The man stepped aside as Sirius bolted into the house, rubbing his hands together and shrugging off his cloak.

"I need food".

"Always thinking of your stomach?" chuckled the light haired man, "There's soup on the stove. Help yourself".

Sirius shot a withering look towards his friend and hurried through to the kitchen, ignoring the photographs waving at him as he passed.

Once seated, with bowls of soup and chunks of bread in front of them, Sirius turned to the light haired man with a sigh.

"So Remus old chap, did you hear the wonderful news?"

Remus' eyes darkened a little, and he nodded.

"Albus sent me a letter not long after it happened. He told me to expect you and to contact the old crowd, which I decided to start as soon as you arrived".

Sirius nodded, scooping a large pile of meat and vegetables onto a chunk of bread and shovelling it into his mouth. Remus ignored his lack of table manners, and pulled out a small list.

"I know Albus has already spoken with Arabella. We need her alert for when Harry goes back to the Dursleys".

Sirius growled at the mention of that particular family name. He remembered meeting them once, he and James had been sorely tempted to play a little trick on the monster of a man, Vernon.

"So who do we need to see?" asked Sirius after a moment's reflection.

Remus glanced down at the list.

"I thought we could go and see Elphias first, he doesn't live too far from here".

Sirius nodded absently, returning to his soup. Remus watched him carefully for a moment, then pulled out a second sheet of parchment.

"I'm sending letters alerting those we need to alert," he waited for a response from Sirius, though he seemed to preoccupied with his stomach, "Then we'll pay them all visit's to explain thing's fully. Dumbledore told me not to put too much in the letters, there is a threat they could be intercepted".

"We should have made up code names," said Sirius with a wry smile, "Like mine".

Remus quirked an eyebrow, and smirked, "Snuffles? Exotic".

Sirius snorted, and rolled his eyes.

"Well Padfoot is out of the question now that Wormtail has fled back to his precious master".

Both men's eyes darkened at the mention of their traitorous friend. Oh how they would love to get their hands on the slimy little man and make him pay for all he had done.

"How was Harry? Albus gave me a brief description of what happened, but for obvious reasons, he couldn't go into detail".

Sirius put down his spoon, and turned to face Remus.

"How do you think Remus? He saw _him_ return...he duelled with the bastard! He's a mess!"

His hands curled into fists, his knuckles clenched and white. Remus chewed his lip, lowering quill.

"He's strong Sirius. He'll get through this. We all will".

"Let's hope so," he muttered, "I don't think I can take much more bad news".

Remus sighed, and turned back to his list.

"We can visit Emmeline after Elphias. I know she has a floo connection," he said absently, scribbling next to the name. Sirius grunted in response, then glanced at the list. One name stood out immediately, and he felt his throat constrict.

"Why is Hayley's name on there," he said slowly, his eyes boring into the side of Remus' head. Remus looked up, and then straightened so he could see Sirius fully.

"You must have known she would rejoin," he said seriously, "And don't tell me it's too dangerous, you allowed it last time".

Sirius mouthed wordlessly, then dove into his pocket. Remus frowned as he pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment, and set it down on the table.

"Let me go to her then. Look! She believes me!"

He pointed a dirty finger to the letter in front of Remus. Remus bent his head and began to read.

_Pads,_

_I wasn't sure how to address this, so I used the old nickname we once used. Anyway, Remus has explained to me what you meant. I believe him, and I suppose that means I believe you too. This, however, does not mean everything is fine between us, though I expect you did not think this anyway. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, I know that you are innocent, and that we were all deceived. But surely you can understand my reaction when you came to my home._

_I'm staying in France for the moment, however Remus is staying in my parents old home, so if you need to contact him, send any letters to my old address. However, I would appreciate it if you did not seek me out again. It's not that I don't ever want to see you again, as I'm sure are paths will cross sometime in the future. I just need time to think, and to sort out my affairs before I come back to England._

_That said, if you ever need to talk, I will not ignore any letters you send. You do not deserve to be treated as you have been treated in the past. I hope you are well, and I hope you continue to be well, perhaps when we do meet properly, things will work out._

_Until then, take care Pads, and remember that it does take time to heal some things, but heal they will._

_Be safe, H.G.B_

Remus felt a small smile tug at his lips. He could see the desperation in these words. The slow forgiveness pouring from her heart. He doubted Sirius thought this; he may be smart, but he wasn't as tactful to understand reading between the lines. That said, at least he knew she believed them. That in itself, was enough.

"When did she send this?" he asked, handing the letter back to Sirius.

Sirius shrugged, "About a week after I saw her. But this is perfect. She's had a year to think things over, a year knowing I'm innocent. Maybe this time she won't try to hex me".

Remus snorted, "Hex you? She didn't tell me that".

Sirius smiled sheepishly, "Perhaps she felt bad. Anyway, what do you say? Let me go to her, I know you'll a floo network set up here".

Remus sighed at the excited sparkle in Sirius' eye. It wasn't safe, in fact, he wasn't sure if it was even safe for Sirius to come and collect various former order members. Perhaps he should consult Albus, he thought to himself.

"We'll see," was all he said, trying to ignore the slump in Sirius' shoulders, "You're still a wanted man Sirius...on both sides".

"I know that," Sirius muttered darkly, slouching back in his seat and staring moodily at the wooden table before him. Remus bit his lip, then shook his head, deciding to deal with his friend once he pulled himself out of his sulky stupor.

~*~

Remus waited patiently for Elphias to answer his door, glancing around every so often to make sure he wasn't being followed. It had been two days since Lord Voldemort had risen once more, and time was of the essence to relocate and reassign the old Order.

The door to the small home located in a village near Hayley's old cottage creaked open, a stooped old man with a mass of silver hair and a rather unusual looking hat peering through a small crack.

"Lupin," said a wheezy voice. The door opened further, and Remus assumed a disapproving look.

"Elphias, how can you be sure it is me? You should know better".

Elphias waved his hand and ushered Remus in, closing the door quickly behind him.

"Believe me Remus my lad, I knew it was you. Now come, come. We have much to discuss".

Remus handed his tattered cloak and hat over to Elphias, then followed him into the small living room. It was dusty, and old looking; much like Elphias himself. Remus took a seat, politely declining the tea offered to him, then set about his business.

"I trust Albus has been in touch".

Elphias nodded, sipping at his china cup, "That he has. He hasn't had time to visit, of course, but he sent me a letter. Mind you, you'd have to be blind not to notice times changing. I can feel it in my bones".

Remus merely nodded, and found himself wondering why on Earth Elphias was wearing his hat in the comfort of his own home. Shaking his head to rid his brain of these silly thoughts, Remus focused his attention on the man before him.

"Then it is safe to presume you'll be returning?"

Elphias' eyes widened.

"Of course Lupin! What did you think, that I'd abandon Albus at such a crucial time! And they call me strange. Of course, Remus. Of course I will be returning".

Remus chuckled a little, a smile playing about his face.

"Good. Well, that is all I'm obliged to ask you. I'm still waiting for orders from Dumbledore. We need headquarters and such, I'm sure he'll be in touch".

Remus stood up as Elphias did, shaking the old man's hand and smiling.

"Yes, yes. Where are you off to next?" he asked.

"Emmeline's. She owled me yesterday to confirm. Which reminds me, do you mind if I use your fireplace?"

Elphias nodded, waving his hand.

"Of course my lad, of course. Get yourself away, and be careful! Times are darkening".

Remus nodded, shook Elphias' hand once more, then stepped towards the large stone fireplace set in Elphias' living room.

~*~

_Dear Hayley,_

_We need to meet. I can come to France, or you can come here, that is really up to you. However, it has happened, what we spoke of last year. It is urgent we speak, the call has been made._

_Reply at once, I hope to see you soon._

_Love, Remus._

Hayley re-read the letter once more, her heart sinking. So this was it; it was happening again. She put down the letter and turned to Viv, who was chewing her lip nervously.

"And so it begins," Hayley sighed, pushing back her dark hair, "I guess this means I'm leaving, although, I can't say I' surprised. As soon as I heard about the tournament I just knew something like this would happen." She added bitterly.

Viv nodded mutely, her eyes beginning to tear up.

"You know I'd come with you, I –"

Hayley held her hand up, "You have a family Viv, I wouldn't expect you to. But I'll have to leave right away. I have some things packed already, so I'll say my goodbyes now".

Viv nodded again, and pulled Hayley into a close embrace.

"Be careful," she whispered, tears falling from her brown eyes, "And keep in touch".

Hayley nodded, wiping her own watery eyes, "Give Sean and the kids my love; I'll owl you as soon as I get to Remus'".

Viv nodded, and watched as Hayley ran upstairs into her room, grabbed a bag, and then returned to the kitchen. She hurriedly pulled on a cloak, and turned back to Viv.

"Wish me luck," she smiled, before turning on the spot and disappearing.

"Luck," Viv whispered, wiping her tears away and wondering if she would ever see her friend again.

~*~

Hayley pulled her cloak tighter around her, noting it was considerably colder here than back home. She peered around the tree she had apparated behind, and spotted her old home standing as lonely as ever. There were lights on inside, so it was safe to presume Remus was home. She took out her wand, though. Just in case.

Glancing around quickly, she hurried through the front gate and up the stone path. She rapped the bronze door knocker several times, and waited patiently for an answer, all the while on the lookout for anything suspicious.

"Who is it?" asked a muffled voice. Hayley smiled at Remus' precautions, and leant closer to the door.

"Hayley, I just got your letter".

There was a pause, and Hayley frowned slightly.

"I'm not obsessed".

Wait, that wasn't Remus' voice. It sounded deeper, more seductive. Hayley gasped in recognition, her stomach churning and her eyes widening. Surely it couldn't be...Remus would have mentioned...

"I'm just intrigued," she whispered throatily, ignoring the lump in her throat.

The sound of the door unlocking pierced the otherwise silence around her. The door quickly creaked open, revealing a sheepish looking Sirius Black.

"I didn't think you'd remember," he said quietly, hoping Hayley would at least look up for even a second.

She did not. Instead, shifting uncomfortably, she stepped across the threshold, keeping her eyes downcast.

"It was your excuse every time we watched Quidditch," she mumbled, "Not something to forget easily".

Sirius smiled slightly, his heart racing at the mere sight of her. She looked exactly as she had the night he visited. Just as beautiful as ever, he thought. Hayley stepped closer to him, pulling off her cloak and setting down her bag. She chewed her lip for a moment, then started towards the kitchen.

"Where is Remus?"

Sirius watched her for a moment, then hurried after her, strangely determined to keep her in his sight, as if losing sight of her meant she wasn't really there. His stomach flipped as he entered the kitchen, seeing more of her now she was in the light.

"Order business. There were a few people he needed to see".

Hayley nodded in a most business like way. She glanced around the kitchen, determinedly avoiding Sirius' gaze.

Sirius moved towards her, and pulled out a chair, motioning for her to sit in it. She eyed him a little warily, then sat down, once again her gaze upon anything but him. Sirius moved around the table and sat opposite her, staring unabashedly.

"How are you?" he asked quietly, his voice sounding raspy and unsure. Hayley raised her soft blue eyes slowly, causing Sirius' heart to skip a beat. He had always loved those eyes.

"Fine," she answered stiffly, "You?"

"Bored," he said at once, ignoring the small frown playing about Hayley's features, "Apparently since I'm still a fugitive I can't help Remus gather the Order members".

There was a bitterness to his voice that reminded Hayley strongly of the time Dumbledore had refused to allow him to visit her at Hogwarts after he left. She sighed quietly, noting just how awkward this situation was. She made a mental note to thump Remus when he returned for forcing this to happen.

"I suppose it's for the best," she replied quietly, unsure as to what to say. What could she talk about with a man she had once been in love with, with a man who she had believed to be a murderer for twelve years, only to find he was innocent. Hot anger rose up in her chest. The injustice of it all. He needn't have left her at all.

Sirius surveyed Hayley carefully. She was thinking too much, that had always been her problem. Thinking, rather than doing. He could always tell when she was thinking hard. Her nose would wrinkle ever so slightly, her eyes would narrow and her brows would knit together. He had teased her many a time for this. He would say she looked cute when she thought too much, which would make her blush furiously. Another problem of hers, she blushed extremely easily.

His eyes slid from the frown on her forehead to the full pink lips he longed to kiss. It had been so long...too long. He had tried to control his desire in the minutes she had been here, but it was hard. So very hard. They had been extremely active in that department, all those years ago. It seemed, for him anyway, nothing had changed. He had to have her, he had to kiss her. He needed her touch, her taste, he needed to make sure she was still there, with him.

"What are you doing!?"

Sirius jumped back. He looked down, realising he had unconsciously leant over the table towards Hayley. He felt the colour rise in his cheeks, and cast his eyes downwards.

"I...uhh...sorry. I dunno what I was...uhh..." he trailed off, unable to find the words to explain this. Well, he could, he just didn't think it was appropriate.

Hayley stood up quickly, looking flustered.

"We can't go back," she whispered, wringing her hands together. Sirius' heart dropped. So she did know.

"Too much has happened...too much time has passed," she looked up, her throat constricting at the hurt present in Sirius' eyes.

"I'm going to bed...tell Remus I'll speak with him tomorrow".

She turned to leave the room, annoyed that she was running.

"Hayley wait!"

She turned slowly, bracing herself for what was to come. She had to resist, they couldn't go back down that road. If this was happening a mere five minutes after being here, perhaps staying wasn't the best of ideas after all.

"I'm sorry...for...for everything".

She felt her resolve melt at the hurt, helpless tone of his voice. She let her gaze rest upon him. He was still as handsome as ever, to her anyway. Yes, he was thin, and looked rather weak. Yes there were shadows under his eyes and his cheekbones stood out more than they once had, but to her, he was breathtaking.

"I know," was all she said.

~*~

_A tall, blue eyed girl with short dark hair and an everlasting smile bounded towards Hayley, grinning from ear to ear._

_Hayley looked up from her notes. She had her OWL's this year, unfortunately. The Professors had really been piling the homework on them._

"_Yes?" she asked slowly, eyeing her sister with a strange look._

_Geraldine collapsed into the empty seat beside her, still smiling like an idiot. Hayley set down her quill and pushed back her own dark curls. They looked very similar, she and her sister. The same dark, wavy hair, the same sapphire blue eyes, the same bright smile. Geraldine, however, had inherited the height and the talent in Transfiguration from their father, whilst Hayley got the shortness and the talent in Potions from her mother. They were best friends, she and Geraldine, even during school they spent a lot of time together. Hayley even counted Geraldine's best friends as her own. She didn't really like the girls in her year much._

"_It's happening," Geraldine breathed putting her feet up on the desk. Hayley raised her eyebrows at her sister._

"_Care to elaborate? Or do I have to figure it out myself"._

_Geraldine rolled her eyes and straightened up._

"_I saw Lils and James talking – TALKING! Do you realise how big this is?" Geraldine's eyes had widened, her arms spread out to emphasize her point. Hayley chuckled, and shook her head._

"_I take it we'll win the bet then," she said with a large smile, "Putting them together as heads was genius...I wonder if Dumbledore did it on purpose"._

"_I wouldn't put it past him," laughed Geraldine, "Oh, hey Sirius!"_

_Hayley looked up, and there he was. Sirius Black. Self proclaimed 'ladies man' of Hogwarts. With his dark hair and casual elegance, and a smile that made many a female heart flutter, Sirius was notorious for his womanizing ways. It struck Hayley as odd that her sister was greeting him in such a way. Geraldine had hated the boy since her fifth year when he dumped her for a Ravenclaw beauty._

"_Gerald," grinned Sirius, flopping into a seat opposite the girls, "Gerald's sister"._

_He flashed a grin at Hayley, who quirked an eyebrow in response, then shot a confused look at her sister. Geraldine picked up on it immediately, and waved her hands dismissively._

"_We're friends now. We're a united front, determined to get Lily and James together," she glanced at Sirius, who was still watching Hayley, "Besides, I have Aiden"._

"_Please, no more about him," groaned Hayley, "It's all I've had all summer"._

_Sirius chuckled and Geraldine pouted._

"_Your just jealous baby sis," smirked Geraldine, "When was the last time you had a boyfriend? Eh?"_

_Hayley felt the colour rise in her cheeks. She mumbled something, then looked back at her homework. _

"_Exactly," grinned Geraldine in triumph, "Now if you'll excuse me, Mary reckons Lily and James will be kissing soon, so I want to get a front row seat"._

_Geraldine stood up and hurried from the room. Hayley shook her head as she left, wondering how on Earth she was related to such a nosy person. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up, and realised she wasn't actually alone._

"_Can I help you?"_

_Sirius continued to stare unabashedly at Hayley, as though surveying her. His grey eyes were fixated on hers, his arms crossed and his mouth shut tightly._

"_Hayley, right?"_

_Hayley nodded, "Sirius"._

_Sirius' mouth curled upwards slightly. He nodded, then stood up. Hayley was about to return to her work when she heard Sirius say one more thing._

"_I've always thought you were the prettier sister"._

_Hayley's jaw dropped, and she looked up quickly. He was gone. She continued to stare for a moment, before regaining her sense and chuckling nervously._

"_Did Sirius Black just flirt with me?"_

Hayley shot upright in her bed, her eyes wide and her mouth parted ever so slightly. She brushed back her dark hair, then pressed her hands against her eyes. She hadn't thought about that day in a long time. The first time she had properly spoken to Sirius Black. She remembered it well, she had found herself slightly excited that Sirius had paid her a compliment, then slightly annoyed that she was slightly excited.

She glanced at her alarm clock, seeing it was near sunrise. Deciding it would be better to forgo any further dreams, she pulled herself out of bed and off towards the bathroom, hoping the tingling sensation she felt right now would abate before she had to face him again.

_

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A/N: Chapter three is up! It took me quite awhile to get this done actually, I wasn't too sure about the Sirius/Hayley interaction, but I didn't want them apart for too long. They have so much to work through! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, best birthday gift ever! Lol

_Anyway, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying reading it. However, I will need your help in future chapters, as to whether to make this AU and forgo several deatsh, or stick with canon. I'm really not sure yet. If anyone has any opinions on the matter, please let me know which you think would be best. _

_Until next time, Eva ~_


	5. Divine Interference

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sirius Black, or anything Harry Potter-ish...I own Hayley, and Viv...yup...just them_

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**Chapter Four**

_**Divine Interference**_

After a long shower, and time wasted taking extra time to ready herself, Hayley realised she couldn't stall going back downstairs any longer. Besides, Remus had a lot of explaining to do. Sucking in a deep breath for courage, Hayley pushed open the door to her childhood bedroom, and tentatively made her way downstairs towards the kitchen, sincerely hoping Sirius had retained his sleeping habits as a teen.

Opening the kitchen door, and no such luck. He was up early; in fact, he looked as if he hadn't even slept. His eyes were puffy and narrowed, his face pale and covered in a thick layer of stubble. He rightly reminded her of a skeleton on most respects, it was clear he had not ate much since she saw him last. His eyes flickered towards the kitchen doorway, but did not linger, and for that, Hayley was eternally grateful.

"Good morning," Hayley tried to sound cheerful, but her voice was so thick with pent up emotion it sounded strained. Sirius merely grunted in response, and Remus, who sat opposite Sirius, stood up with a smile.

"Sirius told me you arrived last night, I'm sorry I was so late," he crossed the kitchen and enveloped Hayley in a tight embrace. Back at the table, Sirius forced down the eruption of jealousy and anger, his gaze remaining on the now stone cold mug of coffee.

"I got your letter and left right away," explained Hayley, taking a seat next to Remus and accepting the coffee with a smile, "Viv sends her love, I think she feels bad she can't come".

Sirius seemed to perk up a little at the mention of Viv. They had, of course, been rather good friends.

"How is Viv?" he asked without preamble. Hayley looked slightly taken aback, not having expected to be spoken to by Sirius. She felt a strange tightening in her chest, and forced back a grimace when she realised what it was.

"She's fine. She and Sean have two boys now, Ben and Lance. She works for the French Wizengamot now".

Sirius nodded deftly, then returned to his coffee. Hayley watched him for a moment, then noticed Remus looked like he wanted to ask her something.

"Yes, I'm staying," she offered a smile, "And yes, count me back in".

Remus chuckled, "I need to know numbers," he pulled out a sheet of parchment and scribbled something beside Hayley's name, "Do you have a job sorted out?"

Hayley took a long sip of her coffee, and nodded.

"St. Mungo's offered me a position. I contacted Jeremiah, can you believe he still works there! He remembers me too, I can't tell you how nice it'll be to have a familiar face around there," a wistful smile crossed her face as she remember her old mentor, "He's head of Spell Damage now, so he gave me a job right away".

Remus nodded, looking up from his list, "That's good. I have a feeling we'll be needing our healers pretty soon".

Hayley nodded grimly, then stood up.

"Have you eaten?" she asked quickly. Again, Sirius grunted, and Remus shook his head.

"I'll whip up some breakfast," she pulled out her wand and pointed it at the fridge, "So what's on the agenda for today?"

Remus picked up a quill and began scribbling away, "Dumbledore is coming over," he looked over at Sirius, "He said he needs to speak with you".

Sirius scowled, "Why? Is he moving me to a safe house? Locking me up for my own safety?"

Remus quirked an eyebrow, "I highly doubt even Dumbledore could lock you up completely".

Sirius mumbled something neither Hayley nor Remus could make out. They exchanged solemn glances, then went about their tasks. Sirius sat with them for a few more minutes, then suddenly stood up and charged from the room. Remus sighed in exasperation, and stood up, however Hayley held up her hand, then set a plate of bacon and eggs down in front of him.

"I'll talk to him. The man needs to eat too".

"Are you sure?" asked Remus, "I know this must be rather awkward for you".

Hayley merely shrugged, and levitated the plate of breakfast and a fresh cup of coffee in front of her, "I have a feeling I'll be around him for a long time. I'll have to get used to it".

They smiled at each other once more, and then Hayley set off upstairs. She pushed open her parent's old room, which seemed to be occupied by Remus. Sneaking a glance into her sister's room, it seemed Sirius had either locked himself in the bathroom or was currently sulking in her room. Deciding the latter seemed more plausible; she gently pushed the door open to see a hunched figure sitting on the end of her bed.

Hayley stepped further into the room, and set the breakfast down on her desk.

"I brought you some breakfast; you look like you could use a good meal".

"Two years spent on the run will do that to you," he grunted in response, not turning to face her, not even moving. Hayley chewed her lip nervously, then sat down at the head of the bed, careful not to get too close.

"At least you have somewhere now. And once the Ministry comes around, you'll have your freedom –"

"Don't!" Hayley jumped Sirius' harsh tone. He slowly turned to face her, his eyes haunted and shining.

"Don't talk about freedom Hayles, it...it's too hard..." he trailed off, and returned his gaze to the ground. Hayley felt a strange queasiness in her stomach. She chewed her lip, and had to refrain herself from reaching out to Sirius. He looked so helpless, so alone. Before Azkaban Sirius had been one of the most confident and sure people Hayley had ever met. It was what had attracted her to him at first, and somehow that same confidence made her feel safe. But now? Now, he looked as though the weight of the world was bearing down on his shoulders with no intention of relenting soon. She ignored the use of her childhood nickname, and moved closer to Sirius. No matter what had happened between them, the urge to help Sirius was too overwhelming to ignore.

"Sirius...I'm sorry, I didn't think..." she trailed off, finding it was extremely difficult to speak to her former beau. The awkward tension, so many things left unsaid but needing to be explored...it was too much.

Muffled voices save Hayley from the awkward moment, and both she and Sirius stood up simultaneously and headed for the door. Sirius, ever the gentlemen, allowed her to go first, quickly wiping his eyes once he was sure she could not see him.

The two quickly descended the stairs, finding Remus and Professor Dumbledore chatting quietly in the hallway. Dumbledore lifted his silver haired head and smiled, his bright blue eyes gazing intensely at Hayley in particular. The brunette squirmed a little, forcing a smile back.

"Miss Beaufort, my, it has been quite some time," Dumbledore bowed slightly, his eyes twinkling. Hayley merely smiled in response, and descended the remaining steps. She strode right past the men in the hallway and into the kitchen. She still hadn't forgotten the last conversation she had had with Albus Dumbledore, as much as she would have liked to.

After conjuring up some tea and biscuits, Remus, Sirius, Dumbledore and Hayley sat around the small wooden table, waiting for Albus to begin.

"As Remus may have told you, I have some things I need to discuss with you, Sirius," Dumbledore's sparkling eyes turned to the grey eyed man, surveying him closely.

Sirius nodded, "Shoot".

Dumbledore looked as though he were about to smile; but did not. Resting the tips of his fingers together, he began to speak.

"I would like to use your old home as Order headquarters," he said simply. Sirius, who had just taken a large gulp of tea, spat it out in surprise, showering Hayley and Remus.

"Grimm...Grimmauld Place!" he croaked, ignoring Hayley and Remus' glares at being covered in the hot liquid, "You can't be serious".

"No, I believe you are," chuckled Dumbledore. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Even _I_ know that joke has been used far too many times," his eyes narrowed, "Why on God's green Earth do you want to use _there_?"

"It is safe," began Dumbledore, "Your parents weren't trusting people, the magical protection they set around and in the house rivals even the security of Hogwarts," he glanced at Hayley and Remus, "We would not be found. Even Lord Voldemort himself knows the contempt you hold for your family, I doubt he would suspect we use the house".

Sirius looked very much like he wanted to hex Dumbledore for even suggesting a thing; and Hayley couldn't blame him. Sirius hated his family, despised his lineage; why on Earth would Dumbledore assume he'd want to go back to the home he'd left behind so many years ago.

Hayley was about to voice her opinion, when Sirius finally answered.

"Do what you want with it. I don't care. If it's going to help...well, I suppose I can't really stop you, can I?"

Dumbledore smiled grimly at Sirius, and Hayley half expected him to say 'No, you can't'. Instead, he held out a sheet of parchment and a quill.

"I will, of course, become secret keeper of the house, but as you are the sole heir to the house of Black, I need your permission".

Sirius nodded, flinching slightly at the words 'secret keeper', and signed the blank sheet of parchment.

"Excellent," Dumbledore took the parchment and folded it up, pocketing it quickly, "I expect we will be able to move the Order in within the week".

"Albus," Hayley started, pushing aside her tea, "How is Harry?"

Sirius and Remus snapped their gazes towards Dumbledore, who sighed.

"I expect he will be leaving the hospital wing today. He is still in shock, as can be expected, so I must return".

Hayley nodded, sadness gripping her heart. Poor Harry, she thought, it shouldn't have come to this.

"And will Remus and I be moving into Grimmauld Place, or can we stay here?" she continued, avoiding Sirius' gaze.

Dumbledore surveyed her for a moment, his half moon glasses glinting.

"That, Miss Beaufort, is entirely up to you. I suggest Sirius move in, it will be safer, as for you and Remus, it is your decision. Now, I must leave," he stood up, bowing a little to Hayley, and nodding slightly to the men, "Take care of yourselves, I will be in touch".

There was a pop, and Albus Dumbledore was gone.

The three friends sat in silence, mulling over Dumbledore's proposition. Finally, after what seemed like hours when really only minutes had passed, Remus spoke up.

"I will move into Grimmauld Place with Sirius," he glanced at Hayley, who was staring at the table, "I have a feeling we'll be spending most of our time there anyway".

Sirius smiled grimly, happy that Remus would at least be there; saddened that Hayley probably would not.

"I suppose," Hayley's azure eyes flitted towards Sirius, then back again, "I think I should stay here. I have missed this place, and I will be perfectly safe".

Remus nodded, confused as to why Hayley seemed so down. He pulled out the battered sheet of parchment his life seemed to revolve around lately, and sighed.

"I have a meeting with Dedalus Diggle this morning," he turned to Hayley, "Could you go to Arabella this afternoon and give her this," Remus handed Hayley an enveloped letter with emerald green, rather fancy hand writing.

Hayley nodded, and took the letter, "Yes. What's it about?"

Remus shrugged, setting down his quill, "Dumbledore didn't say, he just asked me if you could take it to her," he frowned, "He seemed quite adamant that you take it, actually".

"He's not going to let me help at all, is he?" grumbled Sirius from beside Remus, "He's going to lock me up in that god forsaken place and throw away the key".

Remus scrubbed his hands over his face, and turned to Sirius.

"If you want to take your chances with the Aurors and Death Eaters, then be my guest," Hayley was surprised to see a flash of anger in Remus' normally warm brown eyes, "If you want to do the sensible thing, listen to Dumbledore, it's for your own good".

Sirius shot Remus a withering look, and mumbled something neither Hayley nor Remus could understand. Remus watched him for a moment, then shook his head.

"I'd best be off, Hayley, Arabella is expecting you around noon, I should be back around tea time," Remus hugged Hayley goodbye, and clapped Sirius on the shoulder before disappearing into the hallway. A small pop let Hayley and Sirius know he had left, and the two fell into silence once more.

"Your breakfast will be cold," Hayley started after a moment, "I'll make some more," she stood up, but was stopped by a strong hand on her arm. She swallowed audibly, and turned to see Sirius gazing at her with pleading eyes.

"Let me come with you," he said hoarsely, "Please. Once we go to Grimmauld Place, I won't even see the light of day".

Hayley opened her mouth to respond, but found there were no words, no words at all. She closed her eyes slowly, weighing up her options. On the one hand, the Ministry didn't know Sirius was an Animagus, and so if he were seen, they would believe him only to be a large black dog. On the other, most likely Voldemort and his Death Eaters were well aware that Sirius was an Animagus, and if they ran into any of them (Hayley prayed they did not), they would certainly put two and two together. However, all arguments for and against were lost when she looked into his eyes, and saw the sheer desperation and pleading Sirius was sending her way. Silently chastising herself for being so weak, Hayley slowly nodded.

"I...alright...but if you say anything – oof!" Hayley was cut off by a pair of muscular arms wrapping themselves around her waist and lifting her into the air. Sirius spun her around, a wide smile lighting up his face, and for the first time, Hayley saw a shadow of his former self, a shadow of the man she had once promised to give her entire self to; mind, body and soul.

As quickly as it had happened, Sirius seemed to realise what he had done, and set her down. Blushing furiously, the pair put several feet between themselves, Hayley fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and Sirius clearing his throat in a rather manly way.

"Uhh...thank you," he started, determinedly avoiding her gaze, "I uhh...I, yeah, so...I won't say anything. No one need ever know".

Hayley nodded, chewing her lip and ignoring the tingling sensation running through her body at the mere whisper of a memory of being held by him.

"Right, well...I have to send a few letter to St. Mungo's," she began, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "So, be ready for noon".

Sirius nodded, and watched Hayley leave the room, a slow smile spreading across his face as she did so.

~*~

_Hayley sat alone in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, several books laid across two tables and sheets of parchment scattered here and there. Chewing her bottom lip, she flicked through a Charms text book, scribbling notes here and there and marking pages she knew she'd need later. It was only half way November, and all ready Hayley was dreading the upcoming exams. _

"_Lucky for Geraldine," she whispered bitterly to herself, "She's through with all this after this year"._

_The portrait hole opened, and four boys clambered through, laughing and joking amongst one another. Hayley glanced up, and smiled. The Marauders, maybe they could take her mind off things._

_James Potter, Hayley thought, was a perfectly nice person. Sure, he could be a little arrogant, and his favourite pastime seemed to be hexing various Slytherins, but he had a good heart, and had even promised to tutor Hayley in Transfiguration, a subject she had always struggled with._

_Chatting away beside him, was Sirius Black. Hayley wasn't sure what to make of him. He seemed a lot like James, though could be far surlier. Hayley assumed it was because of his family; she would have hated to have such people as relations if she were perfectly honest._

_Behind the boys, Remus Lupin was laughing at something Sirius had said. Remus had been the first Marauder Hayley had ever spoken too, having been a good friend of Geraldine's for many years. He always had the most interesting stories to tell, and would often regale Hayley with many a tale when he visited Geraldine in the summer. Now, Hayley counted Remus as a best friend; they may have been two years apart, but she spent a large portion of her time in the library studying with him, or out in the grounds discussing their friends and joking around. Of course, Remus had a dark secret, a secret Hayley had discovered in her fourth year. Remus didn't know she knew, though she expected he had an inkling._

_The fourth Marauder, was little Peter Pettigrew. He was a sweet, so innocent and shy, but probably the greatest liar Hayley had ever known. The excuses and alibis the boy had conjured up when the Marauders had gotten into trouble were the stuff of legends; it really was quite amazing. Hayley often helped Peter with potions when his friends couldn't be bothered; she had always had a knack for brewing._

_The boys had gotten half way across the common room when James spotted Hayley, and grinned. He nudged Sirius, who smiled too, and made a bee line for the pretty fifth year._

"_Hayles!" James cried, dragging the brunette out of her seat and hugging her, "How is my favourite fifth year?"_

_Hayley giggled, and swatted at James, "Fine, overworked, but fine. What have you four been up to?"_

_James grinned mischievously, and winked, "General mischief. Let's just say, the Slytherins will have quite a little surprise in store in their morning pumpkin juice"._

_The four boys began to laugh, and Hayley shook her head._

"_And Lily is alright with this?"_

_James immediately stopped laughing, and the remaining Marauders sniggered._

"_Ah, well, you see," James ran a hand through his messy black hair, "Lily, uhh...Lily doesn't know about this particular..."_

"_Lily doesn't know what?"_

_The colour drained from James' face, and he slowly turned to face a very pretty red head, hands on her hips and quirking an eyebrow._

_James gulped audibly, his cheeks blushing. Lily frowned._

"_Lily doesn't know what?" she repeated, and Hayley was sure the corners of her mouth were twitching. Behind her, Geraldine, Vivian, Mary and Susan were stifling their own giggles._

"_That...uhh...Lily...doesn't know truly how beautiful she is," James amended, some of his old cockiness slipping back through._

_Hayley waited for the shouting, the puffing of the chest and the indignant look on Lily's face, but it never came. _

_Lily rolled her eyes, and smiled, "I don't even want to know"._

_She turned on her heel and headed up to the girls dorm room, calling for her friends and Hayley to follow. Viv, Susan and Mary followed, their faces alight with shock. Geraldine and Hayley gaped after Lily, then turned to James, who looked just as equally surprised._

"_Why is it so quiet?" he croaked._

_Sirius whistled in awe, "Bloody hell. Mate, I think you've finally gotten through to her"._

_A dizzy, wistful look crossed James' face, and he swayed a little._

"_She didn't shout at me...she didn't call me Potter...she didn't..."_

"_Alright lover boy," Remus grabbed James' arm, "Upstairs, we have things to be done"._

_Remus and Peter bade goodbye to Hayley and Geraldine, then frog marched a dazed James Potter back upstairs._

_Geraldine shook her head, grinning, then turned to Hayley._

"_Mum sent a letter saying she and dad are going to Italy for Christmas," she began, holding out a piece of parchment, "So we're going to Viv's with the other girls for Christmas"._

_Hayley nodded, and took the letter. Unbeknownst to her, Sirius and Geraldine were silently conversing. Geraldine shot Sirius a strange look, to which he nodded his head towards Hayley. Geraldine's eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently, but Sirius merely grinned._

"_Geraldine! Hayley! Upstairs!" came a loud voice. Hayley glanced up, and chuckled._

"_Looks like we need a girls meeting," she started to stand up, but Sirius stopped her._

"_Actually Hayley, I need to talk to you"._

_Both Hayley and Geraldine frowned._

"_We're need Sirius," started Geraldine, "This can –"_

"_You go ahead, it'll only take a minute," smiled Sirius sweetly. Hayley glanced between the two, then shrugged._

"_Alright, tell Lils I'll be up in a minute"._

_Geraldine opened her mouth to protest, shooting Sirius a glare, then stormed upstairs. Sirius watched her go, then turned to Hayley, who was waiting expectantly._

"_I have something to ask you," he started, motioning for Hayley to sit down. The brunette cocked her head to the side quizzically, then took her seat, Sirius taking the armchair opposite. He started to fidget, and looked rather nervous, something Hayley found rather amusing._

"_What is it Sirius?" she asked._

_Sirius chuckled nervously, glancing around the common room._

"_I...uhhh...well, Hogsmeade is...uhh...its coming up soon...and well, I was wondering...if maybe you...me...if you wanted....well, you know..." he trailed off, looking anywhere but at Hayley. Hayley quirked an eyebrow, finding this very odd, but couldn't ignore the flip in her stomach also. She decided to end the poor boys suffering._

"_Are you asking me to Hogsmeade, Sirius?"_

_Sirius' head snapped up, and he flushed ever so slightly. He nodded, and mumbled something Hayley couldn't quite make out. She giggled, and placed a hand on his knee, which only furthered the redness in his cheeks._

"_Well, I never thought I'd see the day. Sirius Black, blushing"._

_Sirius shot Hayley a withering look, "You're loving this, aren't you?"_

_Hayley shrugged, "A little bit," she smirked, "I suppose there's a first for everything"._

_Sirius rolled his eyes, and seemed to regain a little confidence, "Can you stop torturing me and give me an answer," he chewed his lip, "Please"._

_Hayley giggled again, taking great delight in his nervousness, "Torturing you, am I?"_

"_Hayles," Sirius groaned, "Please, just tell me and put me out of my misery"._

_Hayley smiled, and adopted a thoughtful look. A minute passed, and Sirius looked as though he were ready to explode when..._

"_Yes. I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you"._

"_But...wait, yes?" Sirius looked rather shocked, which confused Hayley quite a bit. She frowned._

"_Is that surprising?"_

_Sirius was silent for a moment, before he shook his head, "No...I mean, yeah...well, that's to say, I didn't expect...not that I'd ever expect, I mean..."_

_He stopped when Hayley pressed a finger to his lips, and moved her mouth to his ear._

"_You're rambling, I've said yes, so just be bloody happy or whatever"._

_She pulled back, and was pleased to find Sirius grinning._

"_Brilliant," he ran a hand through his shaggy black hair, "Well, we'll work out the detail tomorrow; the golden couple seem to need our divine interference"._

_Hayley giggled, and stood up._

"_Alright, and Sirius"._

_Sirius stopped, and turned to Hayley._

"_Thanks for asking"._

Hayley's head snapped up, her eyes wide and moist. She glanced around her room, then back down at the letter she had been writing.

"Must have dozed off," she mumbled, crumpling the parchment up and yawning. She glanced at the clock on the wall, which read eleven thirty, and gasped.

"Bloody hell; trust me to be late for my first Order business".

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_A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter. It's very much appreciated. After this chapter, we're going to be seeing a lot more HP characters, which I'm very excited about writing :) Until then, enjoy the story , read and write as much as possible, and immerse yourself in music, I've been doing a lot of it lately :)_

_Eva ~_


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